Maungdaw, Arakan State: A police officer attached to Maungdaw police station is harassing youths from the town on the allegation that they are using drugs. He detains them and extorts money, according to a local elder from Maungdaw.

The police officer Aung Kyaw Than arrests innocent youths both men and women where drug traffickers live or are involved, alleging that they are into drugs. They are kept in custody at the police station, where the officer takes urine samples, which are sent to Rangoon for laboratory tests, he said.

If any of the arrested persons, are unable to pay the officer, when the report comes with positive results they will be sent to jail after being produced in Maungdaw court, the elder added.

The officer and Ms. Theeda Oo, a laboratory technician on Moegouk Road, Rangoon are hand in glove in this extortion racket, said a student from Maungdaw.

“The officer arrested more than 15 youths from the Arakanese Rohingya community including men and women in two months,” the student said.

The arrested youths were not drug addicts, the student said.

Miss Zainetbebe daughter of Abul Hussoin hailing from Quarter number two of Maungdaw is one of the victims of the police officer and has been in custody for more than a month, said a school teacher.

Ms. Zainetbebe is not into drugs and most Arakanese Rohingya women staying in the house, had never used drugs, the teacher said.

The officer demanded Kyat 1.5 million for the release of a youth, said a relative of the victims.